1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fluidproof connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,147 discloses a waterproof connector with a housing, a retainer, a rubber plug, a rear cover and terminal fittings. The housing is formed with cavities for receiving the terminal fittings. The retainer is movable between a partial locking position and a full locking position. The retainer includes retaining portions that are retracted from the cavities at the partial locking position to permit insertion and withdrawal of the terminal fittings into and from the cavities. However, the retaining portions enter the cavities at the full locking position to retain the terminal fittings. The rubber plug is formed with through holes, into which wires connected with the terminal fittings are inserted after the passage of the terminal fittings.
The rubber plug and the rear cover are united to form a rubber plug unit. A mounting recess is formed in the rear surface of the housing, and the rubber plug unit is mounted into the mounting recess from behind. The rubber plug unit is movable between an initial position and a pushed-in position. No radially inwardly acting compressive force is exerted on the rubber plug at the initial position so that the terminal fittings are inserted smoothly into the through holes. However, a radially inwardly acting compressive force is exerted on the rubber plug at the pushed-in position so that the inner circumferential surfaces of the through holes closely contact the wires.
The rubber plug unit and the retainer must be moved separately in the above-described conventional waterproof connector. Thus, the retainer must be returned to the partial locking position and the rubber plug unit must be returned to the initial position before the terminal fittings can be withdrawn. Workers are not accustomed to moving the rubber plug, and hence may forget to move the rubber plug unit to the initial position when the retainer is moved to the partial locking position. Then, the terminal fittings have to pass the narrow through holes of the rubber plug in a compressed state, and the inner circumferential surfaces of the through holes might be damaged by interference with the terminal fittings.
The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to prevent a terminal fitting from damaging a resilient plug.